


Sworn Feelings

by HardNoctLife



Series: FFXV Brotherly Love Week 2020 [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Bittersweet, Childhood Memories, Feelings, Fluff and Angst, Love, M/M, Promises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:33:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25034002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HardNoctLife/pseuds/HardNoctLife
Summary: A pinky promise is sacred, whether you're seven or thirty.For FFXV Brotherly Love Week Day 3: Childhood/Promises
Relationships: Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia
Series: FFXV Brotherly Love Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1808365
Comments: 18
Kudos: 68
Collections: FFXV Brotherly Love Week





	Sworn Feelings

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The Citadel stretched up, _up_ , disappearing into an endless blue, eclipsing the sun. It wasn’t hot, but it wasn’t cold either, and the only way you would break a sweat is if you tried. And Ignis didn’t want to try.

He wove his fingers into the grass where he sat cross-legged.The garden of the inner courtyard was strangely empty, but then again, it _was_ the middle of the day. Most people probably had jobs to attend to, or other grown-up duties, the likes of which his young mind was only beginning to understand.

For now, the only thing he hoped to understand was right in front of him, wearing a sheet for a cape and staring him down with all the seriousness a seven-year-old prince could muster.

“You gotta swear feelings to me!” Noctis declared, pointing a finger at Ignis for emphasis.

“Feelings?” Ignis echoed, eyebrows furrowing over the rims of his glasses. “Do you mean...fealty?”

“No, _feelings_ ,” Noctis repeated stubbornly. “I’m gonna be king, which means you gotta protect me, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Ignis wasn’t sure where the conversation was going, but he decided he would entertain it for now. There was nowhere they needed to be. They had time.

“Well, you have to love someone if you’re gonna protect them, so you gotta swear your feelings to me.” Noctis’s words came together slowly, like he was thinking extremely hard, and Ignis did his best not to laugh.

“Who says?” Ignis wondered.

They were both at the age where blunt and pointed questions were still easily forgiven, dismissed as the result of childlike curiosity, and although Ignis had the afterthought that maybe he shouldn’t have challenged Noctis’s point of view, he sincerely wanted to know.

His entire nine years, he’d only ever heard that it was his ‘duty’ to serve Noctis. Not that he _didn’t_ care for him, but how could you love someone if you weren’t even given the choice?

Noctis paused, momentarily stumped, and several emotions flickered across his tiny face. Eventually, he met Ignis’s gaze, eyes reflecting the blue of the sky overhead and his own crushing disappointment. “...I don’t know.” He hesitated. “Does that mean you _won’t_ swear your feelings to me?”

Ignis was surprised by the ache he felt in his chest in the wake of the prince’s question.

“You know I’ll always have your back, Prince Noctis,” he answered politely. It was the most he could offer in that moment.

“Promise?”

Noctis held out his pinky, and Ignis went cross-eyed to stare at it. Slowly, he lifted his hand, linking his own pinky with Noctis’s in the most solemn vow two boys their age could make.

“I promise.”

* * *

The only sound was of the crackling fire. The darkness stretched up, _up_ , engulfing them in an endless shroud, the flame which they sat around the only light for miles. It was hot, but take one step past the circle of camping chairs and you’d shiver from the biting chill. Noctis was sweating beneath the collar of his jacket, but he didn’t mind it. He had waited a long time to feel this warm.

He dug his fingers into the fabric of his pants.The haven on the hill outside Insomnia was strangely cozy, but then again, it _was_ the middle of the night. It made it easy to forget that beyond the halo of the campfire, past the curtain of darkness, was the ruins of the Lucian capital.

For now, the only thing he wanted to think about was right in front of him, wearing a Kingsglaive uniform and a pair of glasses that did little to hide the scar over his left eye. They had been sitting there, just the two of them, over an hour since Gladio and Prompto had gone to bed, letting their thoughts and feelings seep into the silence and enjoying each other’s long overdue company.

“...do you want to swear your feelings to me?” Noctis asked suddenly, his words emphasized by the pop and sizzle of tinder devoured by the fire.

“Feelings?” Ignis echoed, eyebrows furrowing over the rims of his glasses. “Do you mean...fealty?”

“No, _feelings_ ,” Noctis repeated with a laugh. “If I’m going to take down Ardyn, I’ll need your help.”

“Yes, of course.”

It was clear that Ignis wasn’t sure where the conversation was going, but Noctis was grateful that he entertained him anyway. Though their final mission loomed on the dark horizon, they weren’t set to go anywhere for several hours yet.

“Well, if you’re going to protect me to the bitter end, I’ll need to know what your feelings for me are, otherwise, how else will I know you're serious?” Noctis’s playful words came together slowly, like he was explaining the concept to a child, and Ignis looked as if he was trying not to laugh.

“Who says?” Ignis wondered, smiling now.

They were both at the age where blunt and pointed questions were easily forgiven, excused as banter between close friends instead of a serious exchange between a king and his advisor, and although Noctis had the afterthought that maybe he shouldn’t be doing this now, he sincerely wanted to know.

“Your king says,” he murmured.

His entire life, Ignis had constantly stressed that it was his ‘duty’ to serve the Crown Prince. Not that he _didn’t_ care for Noctis, but how could you love someone if you weren’t even given the choice?

Ignis paused, and several emotions flickered across his weary face. Eventually, he turned his body towards Noctis, visor reflecting the red-orange of the fire before them and Noctis’s nervous expression. “...I don’t know, Noct.” He hesitated.

“Does that mean you _won’t_ swear your feelings to me?”

Noctis was surprised by the ache he felt in his chest in the wake of Ignis’s reluctant response. His time spent in the crystal had revealed more to him than just his role in the fate of the world. It had been a time of contemplation and self-discovery.

If he was going to die, he didn’t want to leave anything unsaid.

“You know I’ll always have your back,” Ignis answered. There was a slight waver in his voice, a _pain_ tinging his words.

“Promise?” he asked lightly instead, trying to lift the mood.

Slowly, Ignis raised his hand, reaching out until he found where Noctis’s hand rested on his thigh. He laced their fingers together, squeezing. It was a perfect fit.

“I promise.” It was a solemn vow.

Despite the warmth of the campfire, Noctis shivered, allowing his head to fall onto Ignis’s shoulder wordlessly. Love wasn’t something you could force, and though Noctis wanted to push Ignis for more, he couldn’t. Not yet.

They had time.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on Twitter @HardNoctLife or Tumblr hard-noct-life


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